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Friday, December 26, 2014

Quick! After a person’s appearance,
what’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone? If you’re like most of
us, it’s what comes out of their mouths. First impressions and all that. But
when you read, you can’t see the characters, so your first impressions are made
based on what the characters say, not how they look.

Simple concept, right? Not so
simple to deliver.

SO…HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR CHARACTER
MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION?

Give them something to say that is:

·Believable

·Fits their personality

·Consistent, yet unexpected

·Short and natural

1)Believable
Dialogue

How do you know if it’s believable or not? Put on your walking shoes and
get out your notebook! Head to the spot where the prototype of your character
would go. Need to write teens talking together at lunch? Go to a fast-food
restaurant near a high school. Want to know what couples say when they’re on a
date? Head to a movie theater early and go see latest romantic comedy. You get
the idea.

***HINT:LISTEN AND TAKE GOOD
NOTES. I promise you’ll forget the words and how they said them if you don’t.

2)Dialogue
that fits the character’s personality

There’s a famous writing cliché that says a reader should be able to read
a line of dialogue and know who the character is without the identifying dialogue tag.

The key is being the character when you write his or her lines. Imagine
YOU are the sensitive butcher who is very observant––seriously! Picture
yourself looking out of the eyes of the butcher with your hands on a raw steak
and then write his or her lines. A great way for authenticity is to actually observe a butcher talking to his or her
customers. Conduct a quick interview if you can, asking his top three concerns about his job. You
might be surprised to learn what those things are…and so might your reader.

****HINT: SWITCH INTO THE MINDS of all of your characters (even the minor
ones) as you write to create words that only THEY would say.

3)Consistent,
yet unexpected? Huh?

Your job is to make sure your characters are real, that they speak the
truth (or not, depending on who they are). In real life, characters might keep
their thoughts to themselves. Not so in fiction. Characters that are pushed to
the brink must speak out––to a best friend, to the cabbie, to the offending
party, to the police.

Yes, we want dialogue to be authentic, but it IS a story and it does need
to intrigue your readers. So let them speak their mind and propel the story
ahead by providing interesting thoughts for your readers to mull over.

***HINT:TO KEEP PACING ON TRACK,
use frequent dialogue to break up paragraphs of exposition.

4)Short
and Natural

Cut to the chase. No one likes listening to boring blow-hards, so don’t
let your characters be one of those
people. Remember tuning out a boring teacher? That’s what didactic dialogue
and info dumps feel like to your readers. Only include information that’s
absolutely necessary for the story’s sake and skip the rest. You need to
know the backstory, but keep it to yourself if it isn't essential to the plot.

***HINT:READ ALL DIALOGUE OUT
LOUD. Change voices to the way you imagine the characters interacting and it’ll
feel more “real.” If you’re bored with the conversation, so is your reader. If
it doesn’t sound the way a person really talks, cut it or revise it. Listen to
real people and you’ll notice most of us talk in short sentences with breaks
for others to add commentary.

So
there you have it. Write dialogue that’s believable, fits the characters,
necessary, and natural and your readers will come back for more!

*****

Hopefully you’ll find authentic dialogue galore in
WANTED:DEAD OR IN LOVE, which features
two alternating POVs––one from Monroe (a modern-day teen who becomes possessed
internally by the infamous Bonnie Parker), and the other from Clyde Barrow
himself (who works hard to take over the body of Jack Hale, a teen male).

And if cultural humor is more your style, you’ll get a
helping of Polish spirits along with a bounty of teen angst in ONE SMART
COOKIE, a Polish teen who seeks the help of her spirit-conjuring grandmother to
find the perfect boyfriend.

Kym
Brunner

WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads
Bio:Kym Brunner's method
of creating a manuscript: write, procrastinate, sleep, repeat. She's addicted
to Tazo chai tea, going to the movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading
or writing, Kym teaches 7th grade full time. She lives in Arlington Heights
with her family and two trusty writing companions, a pair of Shih Tzus named
Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Have you ever had one of those surreal moments when something BIG is happening and you can feel it in every nerve of your body and you want that feeling to last forever?

Well, that happened to me yesterday when I crossed a line through an item on my bucket list: appearing at Anderson's Bookshop as an author. I felt amazingly lucky to be on a panel with some of the friendliest, coolest, nicest, smartest YA authors around. How had we never met before?

Here are the brilliant authors of some super super cool books (all with an original dark element including: OCD, cults, swamps, body sharing with dead outlaws):

LEFT TO RIGHT: Lindsay Currie (co-author of CREED), Natalie Parker (BEWARE THE WILD), Rachel Wilson (DON'T TOUCH), Me (WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE) and the other co-author of CREED, Trisha Leaver.

Here, expert storyteller Natalie is beguiling the crowd with her tale about going to GATOR RANCH in the deep, deep, deep South. Ask her to tell you about it sometime!

Some of our fabulous attendees! Thanks so much for coming out!

Some other fun tidbits: Shared dinner and sweet treats beforehand with the panel at Jimmy's. Delicious food and nonstop conversation that made my author heart happy. Thrilled to see my book on the shelf. Wahoo!

But the BEST PART OF THE WHOLE NIGHT was meeting Nathalie, Stephany, and her father who had driven over an hour to meet me and buy my book. You girls are both awesome and Nathalie, your enthusiasm for writing blew me away. I know I'll be seeing your name on a book cover one day in the future! Thanks for coming out!!

The adorably cute and effervescent Nathalie (left) and her artistic sister, Stephany!

(courtesy of her
one smart, spirit-conjuring grandmother, of course)_______________________________________________________________________

2
Tasty Boys (and a whole batch of deception)

16-year-old
Sophie Dumbrowski’s grandma is one smart cookie. How about yours?

Is your grandmother (alive or deceased) one
smart cookie? Does she do amazing things for her community, your family, or her
health?Does she go out of her way to
make your life better? Does she bake the best cookies in the world? Then tell
the world about it!

To enter,
all you need to do is submit a photo of your grandmother (alone, with you or
your family, in action…whatever
works!) and write a one to three sentence caption telling why she’s so smart /
wonderful / generous/ (fill in the blank). Winners will be judged on the overall quality of the writing (conventions /word choice), the ability to make a connection to the reader, and having a clear photo that focuses on your grandmother.

Captions
should begin with “My grandma (NAME) is one smart cookie because…”

Monday, October 13, 2014

Naturally, if every bit of it is glowing, we cheer, nod, and say, "This person is brilliant!"

But what about when part of the review isn't all party cakes and rainbows?

Well for me, I'd say I have a LOVE-LEARN relationship with reviewers and reviews.

Some authors I know stopped reading reviews because it makes them sad/angry/vengeful or (fill in the blank). And ain't nobody got time for that, right?

But not me.

I can't wait to read them. I purposely didn't call it a "love-hate" relationship because that's not usually the way I feel when I read reviews about my novels. (Unless of course it seems like the reviewer has a personal vendetta against me from my high school days, or they only read the first two chapters....then I might not be so forgiving.)

And to be perfectly honest, maybe I do hate it a little when I read negative things. After all, it did take me two years of writing and revising to finish the book, so it's human nature for some comments to sting a little. But overall, I think of it as a learning experience. Maybe because I've been a teacher my whole life...?

I LOVE when reviewers read my books, flattered they spent their precious time choosing my book to read. I LOVE when they LOVE it and share their view of it with the world.

So...to that effect, a giant thank you to book reviewers, librarians, and friends who post reviews for my books on Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble.

What I might not love is when they spot flaws in my characters, world-building, plot, or endings. But there are things I don't love in other books I've read, so why wouldn't others feel the same way about mine? The trick is to try and objectively view the review as if it weren't about my book, and to realize that the different tastes in reading material is what helps keep novels diverse.

Easier said than done.

Here's what I do when I read a review:

1) Look at the final, overall rating to prepare myself whether it will be meh, good, or great.
2) Read it quickly once and react however I'm feeling (but don't share that with anyone).
3) Read it a second time, but this time, I read it as if my editor is giving me advice about things I need to address.
4) I note the things they liked and/or disliked.
5) If more than one person said the same thing, I'm definitely going to try to make sure that, in the future, those same flaws have been addressed.

If you're a reviewer, do you worry about how you phrase a negative review, or is it more fun to dish it dirty and not think about the author? Is there any sort of etiquette involved?

Monday, September 22, 2014

After her daughter
narrowly survived a man she met in an online role-playing game, Kelly wrote a
breathless young adult thriller with the hopes of helping others spot and
unmask internet predators.

When a Nampa, Idaho, police
detective said to Margo Kelly’s daughter,

“It is your job to tell others—your
real everyday friends that you go to school with—tell them what happened to
you, so nothing like this can happen to them.” … she agreed.

“My
daughter is my hero,” Kelly said, “for being willing to share her personal
choices, conversations, and feelings in order to help others, regardless of the
negative judgment she might receive as a result.” Additionally, Kelly realized if
she wrote a novel about her daughter’s experience, they could help more people
avoid the trappings of internet predators. Who R U Really? is primarily a work
of fiction, but the essence of the plot is what happened when Kelly’s daughter
was nearly abducted. The fictional elements are based on what has happened to
young women across the country on a too frequent basis.

“Inspired
by her own daughter's terrifying story, Kelly has painted a realistic picture
of how a smart girl can get caught up in something dangerous online,” said the School
Library Journal. “Guaranteed to give readers goosebumps—particularly as
events heat up toward the end. … A good choice for families to read together.” (http://www.bookverdict.com)

According
to the Fall Preview issue of Kirkus Reviews, “Thea’s mistakes,
while frustrating to encounter, are frighteningly plausible, and the
relationships among characters are well–fleshed out, especially between mother
and daughter. Kelly’s first novel is a suspenseful page-turner with multiple
suspects, a little bit of romance, and a strong but not overbearing message.” (www.kirkusreviews.com)

Who R U
Really?
will be published in hardcover and e-book versions by Merit Press (F+W Media)
on September 18, 2014.

More about Who R U Really?

When Thea
discovers a new role-playing game online, she breaks her parents’ rules to
play. And in the world of the game, Thea falls for an older boy named Kit whose
smarts and savvy can’t defeat his near-suicidal despair. Soon, he’s texting
her, asking her to meet him, and talking in vague ways about how they can be
together forever. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless
to resist Kit’s allure, and hurtles toward the very fate her parents feared
most. Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea’s life
spins out of control.

Margo
Kelly
is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, she is now actively pursuing her love of writing.
Who R U Really? is her first
novel. Margo
welcomes the opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book
clubs.

Friday, September 12, 2014

After the exuberance at signing my first contract ebbed a
bit, I set my sights on what it would be like following the novel’s release. I
didn’t worry too much about the logistics of it, but I had imagined that over
time, I would become pretty well versed on how things would progress.

I wasn’t.

Partly because there’s a lot to learn and experience, but
also partly because, for everyone else involved, it’s not their first time to
the publishing watering hole and they don’t know how much (or in my case, how little)
you know about the after party. While it’s only been two months since
Wanted:Dead or In Love (Merit Press)
came out and even shorter since One Smart Cookie (Omnific Publishing) was
released, I’ve already learned A LOT
since then. Here we go:

5. YOUR PUBLISHER
WILL PROMOTE YOU, BUT…you have to promote yourself.A LOT. Your publishing house has tons of
authors on their lists, with more books being released each season, so keep on
tagging them in your tweets and status updates and it works to doubly promote
them and you. It’s a good thing.

4. YOU HAVE TO FIND
YOUR OWN WAYS TO GET THE WORD OUT – no one wants a blowhard that says “Buy
my book, buy my book!” all the time, so think hard about alternate connections
to your books and make it fun. Run promotions that get readers involved. Make
connections with librarians, appear at functions near your home (so it’s not
too expensive)….just get out there and be visible and friendly, not pushy.

3.GIVEAWAYS CAN GET YOU NOTICED…but if you
offer a gift card along with your book, many people will enter for the money,
but not your book. Something to think about.

2. YOUR FRIENDS ARE
EXCITED FOR YOU, BUT MIGHT NOT BUY YOUR BOOK. And that’s okay. Not everyone
is a reader. Try not to get too disappointed and don’t hold grudges. (But
hopefully they won’t mind if you don’t buy their kids’ Boy Scout popcorn
either…) Just kidding!! Okay, maybe not. See how hard it is NOT to be
disappointed? J
But to my wonderful friends, family, and fellow scribes who have supported me
by coming out to my book launch events, purchased my novels, or spread the
word, you’re the best!! I can’t thank you enough!

1. SALES TAKE A WHILE
TO ACCRUE. While there will (hopefully) be a nice spike when your book
first comes out, it takes time for word of mouth to build. Keep buzzing about
your book because you might think everyone has heard, but many haven’t.
Everyone needs reminders and fresh news about your book and appearances. Slow
and steady wins the race.

So there you have
it…and the learning curve doesn’t stop there. What was something that surprised
YOU about the publishing business after your debut came out?

WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads
Bio:Kym Brunner dreams
entire novels in her head, but needs about a year to write it all down.
She wishes there was an app for this. She's addicted to chai tea, going to the
movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading or writing, Kym teaches 7th
grade full time. She lives in the Chicago area with her family and two trusty
writing companions, a pair of Shih Tzus named Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped
by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

At the SCBWI-LA conference earlier this month, executive agent Laura Rennert from Andrea Brown Literary Agency wowed us with her knowledge about how authors should build successful careers.

She suggested that we view ourselves as being the CEO of our own company, which would make your agent your COO. After reviewing who her authors are, she develops very systematic plans for each of her clients and says we should do the same for ourselves.

Basically, you need to think about who you are as a person, who your readers are, and what your books are about, then build your brand and marketing efforts upon those ideas. So here are my thoughts on each of those topics:

Who am I as a person?

teacher/ author

outgoing

always striving to be humorous

am intrigued by things unique and unusual

laid back and easygoing

Who are my readers?

teens

smart adults who dig YA

librarians? reviewers? teachers?

What are my books about?

everyday teens on the brink of something new

often suspense & plot driven

falling in love

humor + heart

something unusual or quirky such as:

Bonnie & Clyde, Polish superstitions, falconry, space camp.

So based on those bullet points...what's my plan?
I'm going to try and formulate one now:

I'll focus on writing blog posts, running contests, and appearing at events hoping to showcase my sense of humor, my knowledge of suspenseful writing, and showing my love for things that are quirky.

Hmm....I think I like it. At least for now.

Laura Rennert did mention restructuring now and then as you go along. Figure out what's working and continue doing those things, while at the same time, weed out the strategies that weren't so successful. What works for one author might not work for another, so don't lose hope. It may take years to develop, but keep working and hopefully you'll see sales rise and offers increase. (*see me grinning with sparks of hope in my eyes)

Now it's your turn to be the CEO of your book company. Write down the three categories listed in bold above, along with your bulleted lists that represent you, and then come up with a one-line plan. I'd love to hear what it is, so please share in the comments....

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

I was blessed with the opportunity to write an article for Chuck Sambuchino's "Guide to Literary Agents" column for Writer's Digest. Considering how many hits Chuck's blog posts get, I was in debut author heaven. After being given the okay for a guest column with the freedom to choose the topic, I excitedly detailed how I came about writing multiple POVs for Wanted: Dead or In Love, my YA novel about Bonnie & Clyde taking over the bodies of two modern day teens (which resulted in four POVs interspersed in the story). I figured readers might wonder how and why I chose to write it in alternating POVs, and so I gave (what I hoped was) the interesting background about my thought process.

Before it appeared online however, someone at WD changed the title of my article from "Cracking Down on Multiple POVs: Surrender and Nobody Gets Hurt," to "You Should Write From Multiple POVs if Your Story Demands It." Perhaps mine was too long or they felt it wasn't catchy enough. Although I thought my title with the criminal undertones was clever and fit my article, I wasn't upset.

No biggie, right?

I didn't think so....until I saw the list of comments on the Writer's Digest Facebook Page that linked to my article (which has since been taken down). People were writing angry comments that my post was nothing but a promo for my book and didn't give advice about whether or not to write from multiple POVs. The thing is...I hadn't intended to do that.

I left one short polite reply on the Writer's Digest Facebook page explaining that my original title had been changed and basically, sorry for the misconception. (I'm not sure if my comment caused them to take down the post or if the fury of the commentators did, but either way, it's probably a blessing for both of us).***Editing to say that on the webpage itself, there were lots and lots of wonderful comments by readers. Definitely the lovely outweighed the grumblers. Thank you, positive readers! :)

Here's the thing: the title gave readers a different expectation. And I guess, looking at it from their perspective, I can see why they might have had some sour feelings. They wanted a checklist or guidelines of when you should use multiple POVs in your story and when you should stick with a single POV. I'm not sure there's a right/wrong answer to that question, except to say that uh (ahem) you should do it if your story demands it.

That said, I guess I learned that blog post titles have more significance than I knew. With that in mind, I decided to create a few guidelines for choosing blog post titles:

1) CRAFT A CATCHY TITLE - it's important that you make readers curious to see what your article is about. If you're tweeting a link to your article, you only have a split-second to catch a reader's attention. "Write a Title That Fits" wouldn't have been as interesting as the one I chose for this blog post, although it would have reflected the content.

2) DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISE - the title should reflect the content. No one likes bait and switch. Yes, it should be catchy, but it can't promise something that you don't deliver. Make sure the reader gets what he's coming to your blog for, or they might not come again.

3) REFRAIN FROM GENERIC "GRABBER" TITLES - there are many tweets that say, "Check this out!" or "You won't believe what you'll see by clicking HERE." Yes, we are curious by nature, but when you've seen enough of those, you stop following the link. No one likes surprises THAT much.

Those are all the rules I can think of at the moment (except maybe if you host someone as a guest on your blog, don't change their title without running it past them first.) :)

If Chuck Sambuchino or anyone from Writer's Digest reads this article, I want to reiterate how grateful I am for the opportunity to post an article for your organization. Hopefully the readers that left those angry comments will surrender their feelings and no one will get hurt. :)